Education and Projects Committee
The Education and Projects Committee works on specific projects designed to educate stakeholders about food scrap composting policies, best practices and programs and makes recommendations for priority strategies and policies that will achieve the goal of advancing food scrap composting across Illinois. The committee also educates stakeholders and the general public about food scrap composting initiatives, success stories and resources.

Conference call meetings are scheduled on the first Thursday of the month at 10am. To join the committee, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PROJECTS

2. Food Scrap Challenges and Solutions in Illinois Report to the General Assembly

This report is designed to educate elected officials, composting industry stakeholders and advocates, and the public at-large about opportunities and strategies related to developing a robust food scrap composting industry in Illinois. This report and the Executive Summary of Recommendations support the work of the Task Force on the Advancement of Materials Recycling, and include recommendations already being addressed by the Task Force – including the SB850 transfer station pilot program, Illinois food labeling and national labeling standards, state procurement policy requiring the use of Illinois compost, and compost site permitting revisions.

The IFSC intentionally decided to limit the scope of the report to food scrap composting, while fully recognizing and supporting the role of food scraps in the creation of renewable energy and other useful by-prod­ucts through the utilization of anaerobic digestion as an alternative to composting.

3. We Compost Recognition Program (2014-present, now established as a separate committee)We Compost is a free recognition program that promotes businesses and institutions that participate in a commercial compost program. Our goals are to highlight entities that compost and encourage more people to patronize businesses that are managing their food scraps responsibly. Participating businesses and institutions receive a window decal to place on their front door to communicate to customers that they compost. It's free to join and takes just a few simple steps. Upon completion of the application process, a window decal and certificate congratulating the business will be provided. They will also be included on the elite list of restaurants, businesses, and institutions in Illinois that are composting, added to the We Compost Google map, and publicized in outreach literature produced by the IFSC and We Compost team. Learn more about We Compost.

3. Food Scrap Webinar SeriesA series of informational webinars is being developed to bring awareness to the successes and challenges of those instituting composting into their operations. Separate webinars will be held for restaurants, institutions, grocery stores, curbside programs, residential backyard composting among others. The first webinar being held is for restaurant operators on implementing a food scrap recovery program with best practices, case studies, checklists and anecdotes from Illinois restaurant owners.

4. Grant Funding
The committee will continue to look for grant opportunities to advance Coalition goals.